Forever My Not-So-Grump
by SevenDayWeekend
Summary: Danny thinks it's just another normal evening watching the house for Arin, but then he encounters a bigger problem and ends up running for his life. It's up to Arin to keep Danny from being taken, or worse. All he wants is for his friend to be safe, but maybe there's something else Arin wants too...
1. Chapter 1

**Forever My Not-So-Grump**

(A Danny & Arin Fanfiction)

The time read 9:09 as Danny glanced up at the clock. Only a few more hours before Arin gets home and they can start a new session of Grumping. He had been asked to watch over the house while Arin was away to take Suzy to the airport for a modeling job. Arin wouldn't be back until late. Nighttime flights are cheaper, so that's what Suzy bought a ticket for. Not a huge deal; all Danny had to do was watch over the house and make sure that Mochi and Mimi were fed and the house didn't become a complete disaster. It did tend to get boring at times, since Danny wasn't with anyone. He really didn't feel like playing video games before having to record Game Grumps episodes all night. But it was alright; he kept himself entertained. He would sit on the floor and play with Mochi, write a few more lyric ideas for a new Starbomb song, then he would organize video game shelves and look over cases of games that he had not seen before. After all that, he would practice singing different songs in different keys. The level of boredom was pretty strong, but he was still content with his interests. After all, he knew that life was pretty good for him.

After watching a bit of TV and checking over his twitter feed, he glanced up at the clock. 11:56, and still no Arin. He hadn't answered his phone all day, which kind of concerned Danny. He was supposed to be back by 11:00. No big deal, maybe he got held up with something. Maybe Suzy's flight was delayed. Danny didn't mind. He knew that Arin would be back soon.

Danny was startled awake at the sound of an object slamming against the floor somewhere. He must've dozed off after a while waiting for Arin to come home. He sat upright on the couch and clicked on his phone for the time. 3:37 o'clock in the morning. Did Danny forget something? Was Arin home, but didn't bother to wake him? Did something happen to Arin and he was unable to return home? These questions and more rang through his head as he woke from his comatose state. The more he rubbed his eyes, the more clear his vision became. He could've sworn he heard a slam somewhere, but no other noises followed.

He finally rose, sitting up from the comforts of the couch to search out the source of the startling sound. He checked the kitchen, the living room, the dining room, the garage, but nothing was to be found. He was very confused. Maybe Mimi or Mochi knocked something over. Maybe he dreamt it. Over and over he checked the other rooms, looking for the source of the unmannerly noise. Finally after looking for what seemed like an eternity, he returned back to the Grump Room where he left it, not thinking twice about the disruption. Huh, that's strange. He doesn't remember leaving the lights off as he left. Eh, he was pretty tired after all, maybe he forgot.

He searched the wall for the light switch. He never really did well finding things in the dark. He was finally able to feel something against the wall, but it was far from a light switch. It was soft like cloth, almost like a sleeve. Before confused Danny could even react, a hand grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him in. He stumbled over his own feet in the deep darkness and was unable to pull back in time. This very much startled him as he felt the force of two hands shove him up against the black wall. He struggled against the strong hands but couldn't see shit, making it much more difficult to free himself. He gave the black figure a swift kick to the stomach and wrenched himself from the brute force.

Without even thinking, he barged out of the room and headed for the back door as fast as he could. There was no way he was going to let that mysterious creature get him. His breath was short, his heart was racing and his hands were ice cold. The figure regained itself faster than he thought. He couldn't waste any more time. He finally reached the back door and grabbed the knob. No matter how much he tried to pull, the door wouldn't budge. It's almost as if somebody had jammed the door shut. Was the door broke? He pulled and he pulled, heart ready to leap out of his chest, but it did no good. The figure was gaining on him.

Danny panicked as the large black shadow came darting at him, ready to grab him. There was no time to race to the front door. He had no choice. He grabbed the nearest lamp shade and repeatedly started bashing the closest window. He swung and kicked with all his fury until the window finally gave, shattering into millions of tiny crystal particles. He leaped out of the window, just in time to miss the hand that reached out for him.

He took off running as fast as he could, not even bothering to look back. He ran around to the front of the house to get in his car. He pulled at the doors as hard as he could. His keys were locked inside. "Son of a bitch!" Danny exclaimed. His keys were right with him the entire time. How could they be locked in his car? There was no time. He ran out into the middle of the street, screaming for help. He must've left his phone on the couch back in the house because it was not in his pocket and he had no way of communicating with anyone.

Danny looked behind him, almost half-scared to find what might be there. Huh, why isn't the large shadow following him? Where did it even go? His pace slowed as he looked all around the area for the monster, but it was nowhere in sight. He did not dare go back to the house, because it could be waiting for him there. He sprinted down the street, eyes still wide open. He was able to find a red shed that he could camp out behind to buy some time. There was a link fence surrounding the abandoned house and shed, so he slyly hopped over the fence and snuck behind the deserted building. There was a solar light that still worked, keeping the yard lit so he wouldn't get caught in anything out of sight.

Danny leaned up against the back wall of the building and tried to catch his breath. He was still in shock and confusion from the events that had just taken place. Did he just witness a break in? His heart rate slowly declined as he started to relax a little. He took his hand and moved his long, curly hair away from his face. Something cold and wet dripped down his forehead as he swiped his bangs away. He glanced down at his hand and saw it was covered in dark red. The more he looked, the more he realized that he had cut his left forearm open on the broken glass back at the house. Glancing closely, he picked small pieces of glass out of his arm. It stung like hell, but it was a very deep cut and would probably need stitches eventually. Blood was all over his jeans, white shirt, and dark blue hoodie. He let out a long sigh of frustration as he tried to avoid bleeding everywhere.

Danny grasped his arm and applied pressure, hoping that would slow the bleeding. He was exhausted. He slid down the side of the shed and landed feet-first on the ground, leaning up against the back wall, squeezing his arm tight. He knew he lost a lot of blood in a short amount of time. The cold California air surrounded him, making him shiver a little. He never realized how cold it was when his adrenaline was at an all time high. Condensation escaped from his mouth every time he exhaled. No. He can't just sit out here like this. There had to be a safer place.

He gently raised himself, leaning against the wall. He could feel the sharp stings running up his forearm and tried not to gasp out. He had to stay as quiet as a mouse and hopefully make it to the nearest occupied house. Little did he know what was peaking right around the corner.

He stood up straight, holding his arm and checking his surroundings. Okay, the coast must be clear. He prepared himself and dashed across the back yard through the high weeds. He actually stayed pretty quiet for how much pressure he was under. He might actually be able to get away from this place. Leaning up against the back of the house, he readied to turn the corner. He might actually make it. As he snuck his way to the side of the house, he thought for sure he was in the clear. That is, until he saw it. A shadow distorted from the scenery.

There was no time to react. Danny felt the force of two large arms wrapping around his abdomen pulling him back into the shadows. His heart sunk at the brute force he was receiving. The breath was knocked out of him and his sight was dim. He threw punches and kicks with all his might, but it hardly had an impact. The figure was finally able to get a good grasp on his tall figure and pinned his arms above his head against the side of the house. Pain seared through his left arm as the shadow applied more force to the open wound. The shadow dug its wretched grip deeper and deeper into Danny's cut. The pain was unbearable. He cried out in agony as the blood trickled from his arm, down his face and neck. His screams were instantly silenced as a large hand came across his face, covering his mouth. That's it. No more running now.

The figure's large black head approached Danny's face. He tried his hardest to avoid any more contact with the beast. The figure whispered a small shhhh in his ear. He could feel the rapid tempo in his chest and arm. His head felt light and thought for sure he was going to pass out from blood loss partnering with fear. The figure released Danny's mouth and he inhaled deeply. Even though his right arm was free, he was firmly held in place by the hard force penetrating his wound. The figure reached into its coat. What was it doing? Danny's heart sunk as he stared down the shine of a large syringe, soon to create his fate. He tried to back away, but it was pretty useless. 'So this is how I die,' he thought to himself.

The figure removed Danny's arm from the wall, but still kept a firm grip on it. The shadow gently rolled his blood-soaked sleeve up and kissed his wound under the dark shadows where its face was unseen. He was a little confused, but didn't dare to speak, for this creature might possibly kill him. All in one swift motion, the figure jabbed the syringe into Danny's open wound and kept him pinned against the wall with its own body. Sharp, furious pain pulsed through every vein in his entire body. The force was so unbearable, he almost got sick. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tight, trying hard not to cry out. The figure removed the needle and stuck it back in its coat pocket.

All of a sudden the creature released Danny from the wall. He fell to the ground coughing, now that the pressure was let off his chest. He held his arm in brutal pain, staring up at the tall statue that stood before him. Now was his chance, he could make a run for it. He tried hard to keep balanced as he stood up on his own two feet. He turned around and started sprinting the other way. Everything ahead of him looked positive. Maybe this was all a bad dream. He was able to make it all the way to the front yard and the figure wasn't even following him. This was confusing, but he wasn't going to question it. Unfortunately, that's when it all started going downhill.

He sprinted across the front yard, focusing in on the next house with lights on. Gee, everything far away looked really blurry. Maybe it was about time Danny got his eyes checked. No time for that, jeez. He started feeling warm and dizzy. The world started spinning around him and what felt like 100 feet was only 10 feet. His pace slowed dramatically as he started to feel weak in the knees. What was happening to him? The stars above sparkled twice as bright blinding him, making it even harder to see. His breath was all of a sudden short. His energy was completely gone and he felt suddenly ill. That's it. He can't go any longer.

He stopped his tracks in the front yard and stood there. Before he knew it, standing was too much of a challenge, but he wouldn't give up. He stepped a few more paces before collapsing to his knees in the soft grass. Danny's eyesight was spinning and double visioned. His body was extremely warm. It was a terrifying, yet beautiful feeling of mass hysteria. He could barely focus on anything. The only thing he noticed was the figure walking towards him. Instead of fighting it, he admitted defeat and laid his head on the ground, shutting his eyes. The figure kneeled down beside him and lifted his head. He looked up, completely dazed and defeated at the black figure. He was able to mutter a few last words; "Who are you?" The scenery was fading fast, everything around him going dark as he fought the weight of his eyelids. The figure removed its hood and stared into Danny's fainting eyes. He recognized the figure in black.

"Arin?"

Then darkness. Nothing but darkness.

Everything started to fade back into reality as Danny's eyes slowly opened. Whatever kind of drug that was injected into him really took a toll on his body, for his vision was still blurred and his limbs were still weak. There was a throbbing pain in his head as he tried to sit up. The only thing that kept the room lit was one lamp, glowing dimly. The light was just enough for Danny to see his surroundings. He tried to raise his hands to rub his eyes of the blurriness, but only his right hand moved to his command. It took a moment for his eyes to clear their fuzzy state, but soon everything came into clear. A soft red velvet quilt covered his aching weak body as he continued to wake. He tried to move, but the energy just wasn't there. Guess the drugs hadn't worn off yet. He had enough energy to pull the soft red sheet from his upper body to see his situation. As he removed the quilt, he saw his left arm was heavily bandaged and strapped down to the side of the bed. He tried to move, but the limb was fastened firmly against the bed frame with black leather straps. He adjusted his sitting position a little, but the more he tried, more pain he felt. He was able to look down far enough to notice that his shirt was torn and blotched in blood. His chest was bandaged from the upper left of his shoulder down under his right arm. He felt more cuts and bruises appear the more he moved.

He tried desperately to remember what happened last night that put him into this state. He remembers walking around the house, being startled and running. Wait, why was he running? Running through the neighborhood, he hid behind a shed. There was a black figure somewhere in there too. This was ridiculous. All he had to do was watch the house one night for Arin...

Arin.

Why does it feel like Arin was involved? Why is he an important factor? Is it because of his house? It must be, but why won't he leave Danny's mind? Something wasn't right, but Danny couldn't put his finger on it.

Suddenly the door opened and a person came walking down the stairs. Danny could hear soft steps, almost as if he or she was trying to sneak in. It was still too dark to make out who the dark figure was, but it was definitely familiar. He tried to focus in as the figure came closer. A familiar scent filled the room and he knew what that scent was right away. It was the scent and shadow of someone who he had been dearly close to for years. It was the man who had changed his life the moment he met him. "Arin," Dan said in a soft tone. Huh, what timing.

Danny rapidly tried to sit up and look stronger than his state of being would allow him. His heart raced as he tried to look presentable, his mind thinking in a thousand directions. Arin sat down next to Danny and pushed him back down into the bed and covered his weak body with the soft velvet sheets. He put his soft hand on his forehead and quietly whispered shhhhh just loud enough for only him to hear. The man brushed Danny's messed up bangs away from his magnetic brown eyes. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he stared into the big eyes of his friend and couldn't help but feel a little warm inside. "It's okay Dan, you're fine. Just a little worn out," Arin said. Danny was still in a delusional state and it just occurred to him that Arin was his kidnapper.

"Everything is going to be alright, " Arin replied.

"What is happening?" Danny tried to sit up to move closer to him.

"Woa woa woa, just relax." He pushed Dan back down against the bed frame. "Don't try to move too much." He stood up and took off his jacket, revealing a white shirt covered in dark red stains. All of the evidence revealed itself to Dan as he became more accustomed to his strange surroundings. "You're lucky I found you in time. When I got home, I saw that you weren't there and the place was a wreck. I was so worried when I saw the living room window shattered and the lamp laying out in the middle of the backyard. If it wasn't for your blood trail, I might not have ever found you."

"Where did you find me?"

"You were passed out in the front yard of Johnson's old house covered in your own blood. I swear to god I thought you were dead! I was sick to my stomach, dude. I panicked and dragged you back to the house, unsure of what to do. I'll tell you, you're lucky you didn't bleed to death."

"Bleed to death?" Danny began to feel uneasy as he tried to sit up.

"Easy Dan, you're still very fragile." Arin rested his hand on Dan's tender arm. All of a sudden, there was the sound of a car door slamming shut. Arin instantly reacted and stood up, startled. "Look, I have to go now. Rest up, and DON'T fuck with anything!" In an instance Arin raced up the steps and was gone.

Danny became rather confused. That was the calmest and most serious he has ever seen Arin. Maybe he really was concerned about Dan. But why did he leave in such a hurry? Who was there that was so important? It could've just been Barry or Ross. But wait, then why would he have rushed off in such a hurry? Why is Dan's left arm fastened down for no reason? Something wasn't quite right around there and he knew it.

Before Dan could even process, he was awake again. He must of dozed off while waiting up for Arin's return. The issue was, Arin never returned. This bothered him a little bit, considering that Arin just abandoned him again and never told him what was going on. He couldn't even tell what time it was. The place was exactly the same when he woke up the second time. There was no way of telling how long he had been asleep or if it was even daylight outside. He'd been there for a while, considering his facial stubble was a little longer than before. He couldn't sit around forever. He had to do something.

He began to fumble at the straps securing his left arm with his one good hand. There's no way Arin can leave him here like this. Damn, Arin did a good job at securing this. It took a while before Dan finally gave up on releasing himself. When will Arin be back? He grew more and more impatient with his imprisonment. He began to search all over the room for an escape plan, but the room was too dimly lit for him to recognize anything. All he could make out was the bed and a closeby coffee table with a candle lit on it to his left. To be honest, Dan didn't recognize the place at all. Arin didn't drag him back to the house; this was not a room in anyone's house that he recognized. All he knew is that he couldn't stay much longer.

The more and more Dan looked around, the more details came into picture. He noticed the lamp shade was brown. He noticed there was more than one door in the joint. He noticed the quiet tick of a small clock sitting somewhere in the back of the room. He noticed the coffee table had a drawer. That's when an idea struck him. Dan could search through the coffee drawer to see if anything was inside to give him a hint as to where he might be. The table was so far away, at least out of the range of his one good arm. It doesn't matter. He must try.

As Dan leaned over, he could feel the instant pain piercing through his left forearm. It startled him a bit, because he wasn't really expecting that level of pain. No matter, he kept going, leaning farther and farther to his right until he could feel the solid wood handle of the table. He yanked it open and reached inside. He felt some flat papers and a cold, awkward-feeling object. He couldn't exactly grip the pages, but he could definitely snatch the object. He pulled it out and veered back into bed. I guess luck was on Danny's side today. It was a pocket knife. He flicked it open with a touch of the thumb.

He smiled at the shiny metallic opportunity and began to saw at the black straps. He wasn't really good with his right hand, but it didn't matter, as long as it meant he'd have freedom. What lasted only five minutes felt like an eternity and yet Danny still wasn't free. There was more than one strap and one alone took at least two or three minutes to saw through. It made his arm very weary and he needed a break every couple minutes to recuperate. Finally, after about an hour straight, he was on the last one. He could feel the pressure let up as the last strap snapped off. He was free! He bent his left arm back towards him and felt a searing burn. 'What the hell?' he thought. He began to roll up his blue sleeve, now purple in some spots from set-in blood stains. He revealed more and more stitches as he rolled up his jacket. The cut grew longer and deeper, almost all the way up to his shoulder. His eyes grew wide and his heart began to race. He immediately stood up and searched for an exit. He needed help now.

There were four doors total. One door was to a bathroom, one to a storage closet, one to a pitch black room and the last one was a staircase to exit. Danny already tried to open the exit door, but it was locked shut. He thought about breaking it down, but it was heavy duty and on the top of stairs, so it probably wouldn't have been a very good idea. He began to feel more and more claustrophobic and to be honest, a little scared. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no information as to why he was being held prisoner by his best friend, of all people. Add on top of all this that he had a really bad wound secured with well over two dozen stitches, the pain almost unbearable. The room started spinning again as Dan just stood in the middle of the floor, clutching his arm. His hysteria always seemed to get the best of him in times where he was helpless. He bent his injured arm, feeling the searing pain shoot through his body. The wound began to split open again and bleed, his hands now painted in crimson. He touched his face and could feel the warm blood trickle down his cheeks. He had reached full mental turbulence.

At this moment, Danny heard the upstairs door unlock. Footsteps followed shortly after. Arin finally came back. Dan showed no emotion, for his confusion and delirium had overwhelmed him. "Dan!" shouted Arin. He ran to Dan and caught him before he hit the ground. He eased him down onto his knees and tried to get his attention. "Danny, it's me Arin. I'm here. I tried to get here as soon as I could. I told you not to screw with anything, didn't I?" Danny did not make a sound; he continued his thousand-mile stare. Tears began to swell up in Arin's eyes as he dreaded seeing his best friend like this. "I'm so sorry. I had to do it Dan, I had to." There was a long silence and Dan didn't move a muscle. Arin began to sob softly at how damaged his friend was after going through drugs, wounds, and confusion.

Arin wished he could tell Dan the truth. He wanted to tell him that he was protecting him from a suspected hitman who was planning on using Danny for "experimental purposes," but he could never do that. He had no choice unless he wanted to end up dead. He cared too much for Dan to let him be taken away from him so soon. Arin was being monitored since the beginning and he couldn't let anyone hear or see what was happening, including Dan. The silence continued for a long while before Dan finally broke his daze. Arin's eyes sparkled with curiosity as his friend began to speak. "I love you Arin. Don't ever leave me again." Their faces drew closer and closer until their lips were almost a millimeter apart. The moment was broken as Dan leaned back, his eyes beginning to fade away again. Arin's heart dropped. He realized that that was the first time he'd ever heard Danny speak to him like that. Normally he's way too cool and sly to admit loving anybody. Maybe he had feelings for Arin after all and in his delusional state, he vented it.

Arin caught Dan in his arms as he leaned forwards. He might not be Hercules, but he was strong enough to carry his friend back to the bed and let him rest. He looked down at Danny's limp body as he fell deeper into sleep. He stroked the soft, tender face of his companion and glanced in sorrow. He climbed into the bed next to Dan and held him close. Warm tears rushed down his face again. He never intended for any of this to happen, but Arin was in love with him, and just from what he saw that night, he was pretty sure that Danny was in love with him too.


	2. Chapter 2

**Forever My Not-So-Grump**

 **Chapter 2**

The vision of a very tired Arin began to come back into focus as he woke up. Dan was still in a comatose sleep, so now was the perfect time for Arin to leave, again. He hated leaving Dan by himself without an answer. The guilt and paranoia ate him alive, but, he must do what he has to do if he wants Dan to stay safe.

Arin sat up on the bed and rubbed his aching head. It seemed more and more that waking up was a challenge for him, especially since he didn't sleep so well the night before, or really any night before that. He stood up and reached for his coat. The silence was broken when Dan had rolled over and coughed in his sleep. Not really that much of a big deal, but it scared the shit out of Arin, since he had expected him to wake up. Thank god he didn't. Once again Arin went back to throwing on his coat and grabbing his phone. He walked up the stairs as he fumbled around his pocket for the key to the outside door. Once he heard the jingle in his pocket, he pulled out his keys and shoved the correct one into the lock. With a silent _click,_ the door opened and he slid his way out, making sure to close the door quietly behind him. He hesitated locking it again, but the more he thought, the more he realized it was for the better. He slid and turned every lock and bolt until the door was once again locked and secured. 'This is only for a little while,' Arin kept reminding himself.

For better or for worse, Dan was in a place he had never been, so there would be no way that anyone besides Arin could find him. It was actually in the basement of an old townhouse that Arin had borrowed from the original owners, those of who he was friends with. They only visited certain months of the year, so Arin was free to use the property as an escape from home if he so desired. He walked through the vacant kitchen and out the back door with a small creek as the door opened and shut. Out he walked to his car, making sure to stay as incognito as humanly possible, and climbed in. As he entered his car, he began to flip through the mail and papers that he picked up last night before visiting Danny. There were many junk and donation envelopes that he didn't really care for. In the paper, it was the same old headlines about someone getting murdered, the economy plummeting, how to stay safe from hackers, etc. This whole situation made him angry. All he ever wanted was to make a living doing what he loved with the people that he loved, and even that at this point seemed impossible. He threw the paper aside and dug his key into the ignition, backing out of the driveway and pulling out in front of an oncoming car. The car came to a screeching halt, blaring the horn as he had blocked their path. He didn't care, he was finished with all the bullshit.

The household was empty as Arin pulled into the driveway of his own home. The back window was still busted and the backyard was still a glass-embedded bloody mess. Arin began to feel the anger set in again as he recalled the events that happened. He tried not to lose his temper, but he felt like such a failure to his companions. He misses his Youtube friends, every one of them, even Ross. He stared down at the pile of paper and mail in anger and in one swoop, whacked them off the passenger seat and onto the floor. Only one envelope remained on the seat. Huh, it was an envelope Arin had never seen before. It had no address, just a giant X that was half blue and half black. His eyes widened at the sight of the envelope, because he recognized the symbol. Very carefully, he opened it. There was a black thin box and a piece of paper with one line typed in small print that said three words, "Good morning Arin."

Arin was a little confused, yet alarmed as he stared at the small disk-shaped object placed conveniently inside the box. He put it up to his ear and could hear a faint beeping that started to get faster and faster. Almost immediately, Arin threw the box, opened the door to his vehicle and dived for cover. Not even a second later, the little black box exploded and put his car up in flames, leaving nothing but a jet black frame of what used to be his vehicle. Arin's heart raced as he laid on the hard concrete trying to grasp his senses again. All he could hear was a strong ringing that overpowered his eardrums. His body was in shock as he began to experience flashbacks to the last time he talked to Barry. It was very vivid and blurry, but it was definitely locked in his mind as he tried to fit all the pieces together.

"Arin, Arin, Arin!"

Everytime Arin heard his name, it got a little louder as he played the flashback in his mind. It was definitely Barry's voice as Arin opened the door that was being beaten on by Barry's hard fists. "Arin!" His voice and his image were both now clear as day. Arin stared at him in shock. "Barry? BARRY? Oh my god you're alive!" Arin dove at him and hugged him tight with his big bear arms. He was almost in tears. It was definitely a greeting that was one in a million and much emotion filled the air. He dragged his long-missing friend into the house and kicked the door shut. It had been weeks since Barry had disappeared after leaving to go to Mark's house. For almost two months, there was no trace of either men anywhere, Mark or Barry. Seeing his appearance at the front door put Arin into a state of crying hysteria. Refusing to let go of the suffocated Barry, he threw both of them onto the sofa, crushing him under the sheer size of his body. After finally being able to grasp his strength back, Barry pushed the big lug off of his deflated body and onto the floor. He took in a huge breath of air, relieved that he could take a deep breath again. Arin crawled back up on the sofa, sitting upright next to a very exhausted Barry. The grin never left his face, seeing as he thought Barry was surely dead in a ditch somewhere. It took a few moments for the excitement in the atmosphere to calm down, but once it did, both companions were beyond thrilled to see each other. "Where the fuck have you been?! Everyone has been worried sick!" exclaimed an overwhelmed Arin. "I have to call Dan, Suzy, Ross, Kevin, everyone and let them know you're okay!" Arin went to reach for his cell phone which was sitting on the coffee table. Barry immediately intercepted Arin's hand by grabbing the phone before Arin could. Arin became confused at the panic reaction of Barry. "You can't," said Barry in a calmer manner. Arin was even more confused at this unusual behavior not normally found in his friend.

"Why not?" Arin asked in a more casual manner. He tried to play it off cool and break the tension in the room, but the serious stare never left Barry's face. There was no response as Barry kept his hard grip on the phone and never moved his gaze. Arin sat up more straight on the couch as the stress in the room only continued to grow. It was time someone broke the dark silence. Arin stared at Barry with a concerned concentration. "Barry, why not?"

Tears began to form in the waterline of Barry's eyes. He blinked his eyes dry as the streams ran down the creases of his face. All of a sudden, his grip released the phone as he hunched over to bury his face in shame. Arin put his arm around the sobbing Barry to try and comfort him in this time of distress. He was very concerned for Barry's condition, as Barry was usually the strong one of the group. All of this behavior was foreign for Arin and he wasn't sure what he could to do help. What was even the problem anyway? Where did he go?

After a few minutes of silent sobbing, Arin reached out and lifted Barry's face so their eyes met. His eyes were bloodshot and his face flushed with red. He tried to stop the tears, but they just kept coming. He was an emotional wreck. He could see the concern in Arin's face and knew that he should provide a reason for this unstable behavior. It was hard to even speak a word because he was so choked up. After taking a long deep breath, Barry was finally able to speak a few words. "It's Mark." Mark had been missing just as long as Barry had been and the idea that something may have happened to Mark was unthinkable to Arin.

Arin's eyes grew wide with concern and a little bit of panic began to sit in. "What happened to Mark, Barry? Where is he? Do you know where he is?" There was a long silence before Barry was able to build enough esteem to speak again. "I knew where he _was_." Arin's concern only grew greater as he could not understand what he was saying or why he was in such a state of delusion. Arin slowly moved closer to him and put his arm around his cold shoulder. Barry hunched over and buried his face again, sweeping his grown-out bangs away from his face as he tried to hide from the situation. Arin felt really bad. He had never seen Barry so upset. It greatly disturbed him. It also disturbed him that Mark was in some type of trouble and he was very anxious to find out.

It was a few minutes before anyone had said anything and Arin had just softly rubbed Barry's back and tried his hardest to comfort him. He was not going to force him to say anything while he was still a trainwreck. The sobbing continued for another five minutes approximately. It took a lot of courage, but Barry finally lifted his head, glaring at Arin with a dead serious stare that almost made him look like he was ready to kill Arin. "They took him," Barry blurted in a low, sinister tone. "They took him and there was nothing I could do about it."

"Who took him Barry?" Arin lightly grabbed his shoulders and made him face him.

"I-I-I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? What did they look like? Were they thugs?"

"No, no, not even close. They were men, really strong men. Tall men, over six foot easy. They were wearing black, sleek suits full of strange weapon-like things."

"Strange weapon-like things. Like what? Where did they even come from?"

"I don't know, Arin. It was really weird. They just showed up."

"Showed up where? Where were you the past two months? I'm very worried that something happened to you." Barry was struggling to remember what happened and Arin could sense this. "Look, it's okay if you don't remember…"

"No I remember, I think. I remember Mark and me were out for dinner and a couple drinks, discussing things I believe about helping Mark edit his videos or something like that. We left the bar and headed home, but Mark needed to fill up his car first, so we pulled into the nearby Sunoco. Once there, Mark got out of the car and walked into the store for a moment because something was wrong with the pump I think. That's when they came." Barry started to choke up a little and Arin put his arm around him. The comfort helped him a little to keep the story going.

"There was a black van that pulled over into the parking lot and two huge-looking men stepped out. They were both wearing sunglasses even though it was nighttime, so I felt a little strange about them. They kept walking closer and closer to the car until I heard one of them knock on the window. I immediately locked the door. They just stood there and didn't move. Shortly after Mark walked out. The two men sped-walked towards him and asked him some question. I couldn't hear it. I rolled down the window and heard Mark say 'Yes I am,' in his usual friendly voice, and then, and then, oh god Arin." He buried his face in the palms of his hands and Arin tried to pull him closer. Barry pushed away and stared at him with a painful face.

"They beat him Arin. Bashed his face in and huddled around him when he fell. He didn't get up either. They then ran to the car with black rods ready to smash in the windows after me. I got out and started to run. It was the only option I had. I ran straight from the car and into the road, dodging traffic as I made it into the development across the street. I tried running to the first house I could find, but I don't even remember if I made it that far. All I remember was being tackled and pinned to the ground. I remember it hurt like hell. I think I might of smacked my head off of the pavement, because I have a cut right here." He pointed to the back of his head. Arin gasped as he saw a huge two-inch gash in the back of Barry's head. Arin exclaimed, "Oh my God Barry!"

"I know, but wait. Let me finish. The last thing I remember was their grins. One of them said, 'Goodnight Barry'. How they knew my name was the part that confused me. There was a pinching sensation and I felt numb. Then the world went black. I don't remember anything after that until I woke up in a strange place. All I know is that they took Mark. I don't know how I know, but I do. Hell, I don't even remember how I got here. I just kind of showed up on the front porch. It seems I only remember certain things. Do you know how frustrating it is not remembering how you got somewhere?" Barry took a deep breath as he tried to absorb his pain. Arin didn't know what to think, what to feel, or what to do. He just continued to put his arms around him in hopes that it might give some comfort.

Arin let Barry calm down for a few minutes. Arin needed a few minutes to process what Barry just said and what the right response should be for him to say. "Well, the important thing is that you're safe. We'll find Mark, don't you worry. I'll call the authorities. We can start a search party and maybe even put these thugs under arrest. Everything will be okay."

Barry immediately jumped up from the couch, pushing Arin backwards as he suddenly went from sad to angry. "No, Arin! Nothing is okay right now, alright?! Nobody can touch these guys because they're invincible! Mark is probably dead already! I can't believe you right now! You're not even taking this seriously!" Arin now stood up in alarm, surprised at Barry's sudden anger. It was now Arin's turn to reply.

"I can't believe _you_ right now Barry! Who are these so called 'men'? What do you mean Mark is probably dead?! Why would he be dead? I'm so confused right now! None of this is making sense! I'm sorry I'm not very good at comforting people, but it's hard to comfort this! What have you seen Barry?! What happened that fucked you up so bad, because this isn't you!" All of a sudden, something happened that Arin had never seen before. Was it sorcery, or was it something more? Barry became consumed in anger (which is very unusual for him in the first place), grabbed Arin and threw him backwards, hitting the wall with a tremendous force. He didn't even have time to react when suddenly Barry's hands were around his throat, pushing him against the wall with more and more strength until his windpipe was completely cut off. Arin looked into his eyes and saw they were a completely different color. The left one was a deep blue, the right one almost black, unlike Barry's undetermined greyish-blue-green eyes. He began to feel faint as all of the oxygen to his head was put at a jolting halt due to Barry's incredible strength.

Thankfully, Barry's self conscience began to kick in again. His eyes widened as he gasped at what he was doing. He immediately released his grip from Arin's throat. Arin gasped for air as he fell to the floor, coughing and holding his throat as the color returned to his face. He had never felt more appreciative to be able to breathe air again. Barry could not believe what he had just done to his best friend. It was not him. It couldn't have been. The regret consumed him even worse now as he helped Arin to his feet. He hugged Arin as tight as he could, sobbing into his shoulder, apologizing over and over for almost killing him. "I'm so sorry, Arin. I can't help it. I just...I can't...I don't...oh god." He fell back down onto the couch and hid his face from Arin. Arin was still having a hard time talking and his voice was very broke and hoarse. He could only speak a few words at a time, but he needed to let Barry know that it wasn't his fault, or at least he didn't think so. He sat down next to his severely troubled editor.

"Barry, calm down. You're only...upsetting...yourself worse."

"Oh god, listen to you! What have I done? Arin, you need to understand that that wasn't me…"

"I already know...it wasn't you. Now I want you...to answer me...a question." Arin looked Barry right in the eyes. "What was that?" Barry's eyes showed nothing but guilt and pain as he tried to think of a way to even explain to Arin what was wrong with him.

"It's not me, Arin. I can't explain what it is. It's something they did to me. It's almost like I feel consumed at times by a darkness, as confusing as that sounds."

"You feel...consumed. Like a ghost or..."

"No, like I can feel an anger inside of me that I've never felt. I can control it most of the time, but sometimes it gets out of hand and I can't help myself. It starts with uncontrollable anger, then I start to lose my vision, then my hearing, everything until I'm not even in control of my own body until I calm down."

"Who or what... do you feel angry towards? The people who took... you and Mark?"

"Believe it or not, no. I want to be angry with them, but I can't. I literally can't. It's just...anger. Towards something I can't identify. I just feel so lost. It fucking sucks." Arin again wore a face of blankness as he had not a reply to supply Barry with. It was yet again another long period of silence before anyone could say anything.

Barry was in pain. He felt a little embarrassed that he could not explain what he felt any better to Arin. But the truth was, he could barely explain it to himself. It was even harder when he couldn't control his own body during those moments. Arin finally broke the silence. "Well, why don't I call Dan and see if maybe he could…" All of a sudden Barry was hit with a huge flashback. Memories came flooding back to his mind before Arin could even finish his sentence. All the screams, all the pain, all the details were forced back into his conscience. Without even letting Arin finish his comment, Barry sat up in shock. "Oh my god!" he exclaimed.

"What, what is it?" Arin exclaimed back. Barry scared him when he shouted. It sounded just like the kind of expression that someone would make when they see a kid fall on the sidewalk. His heart raced a million miles an hour at Barry's reaction.

Barry grabbed Arin by the shoulders. "It's Dan, Arin! It's something about Dan! I remember now."

Arin's mind was scattered as he tried to figure out what was even happening. "What are you talking about? Dan had nothing to with…"

"Dan had everything to do with this Arin!" Barry interrupted.

"What do you mean? You haven't even mentioned him."

"I couldn't remember to mention him because I only remember certain things. When you said his name, I remembered something."

Arin paused for a minute and slowly stood up from the couch. "What did you remember?" At this point Barry froze, wearing a face of hesitation. "Barry." It was a long few seconds of anticipation as Arin waited for a response. Barry finally broke out of his long daze. "Oh my god."

"What?"

"I can't tell you any details."

"Why not?"

"I just can't. I don't want anybody dead because I said something wrong. All I can tell you is that they're after Dan. I remember overhearing a rather disturbing conversation shortly after I escaped."

"What did they say?"

"Umm...honestly I can't remember much. But I remember what I felt after hearing them."

"Why Dan?"

"I don't even know."

"What did Dan ever do?"

"Nothing. I remember them saying they think that Dan is the answer to the problems they've been having. That's all I remember."

"How? How does that even make sense?"

"I don't know Arin. I don't have a lot of answers. I think that Dan's been framed for something far more deeper than we know."

Arin began to grow antsy. "Well why doesn't Dan just talk to the guy and explain that he's not who they're looking for? Here, I can call him right now and we'll get this situ…" Arin was interrupted main sentence by Barry shoving him to the ground. A ripple of pain shot up his shoulder as he hit the hardwood floor. "What the fuck Barry?"

"You cannot tell Dan! You need to get him out of here right now!"

"Get off of me!" Arin shoved Barry off of him and he fell backward onto the floor. Barry stared at Arin in disbelief. "I'm sorry," he said.

"It's okay," Arin replied. They both sat on the floor, staring dead ahead in frustration and confusion. Barry put a hand on Arin's shoulder. "Look," He said. "You need to get out of here. You all need to get out of here. Nowhere around here is safe. Take Dan, take Suzy, take Kevin and get the fuck out of here."

"Where do I go…"

"Anywhere. Get far far away from here."

"But what about you?" Barry breathed a sigh. "I can't leave," He said.

"What?" Arin exclaimed in alarm. "Barry you have to come with us."

"I can't. They put a tracker on me Arin. Anywhere I go, they'll know where I am." Barry then proceeded to brush the hair away from the back of his ear and there behind his ear was a little blue light, no larger than a pin prick."

"How did you get out then?"

"I don't know. Nobody followed me."

"Why?"

"They think I don't know about it. They think that I'll lead them right to Dan."

"Oh my god Barry. Wouldn't they be tracking you right now?"

"Yes, yes they would. They know exactly where I am. That's why I ran to you instead of Dan."

"Oh, thanks."

"You're welcome. That's why you all need to leave."

"Here." Arin stood up and walked over to the kitchen, grabbing a large rag and the sharpest knife he could find. He came back into the living room and kneeled next to Barry. "Give me your ear."

"No Arin."

"Give me your ear Barry. I'm cutting this son-of-a-bitch out."

"You can't. It's my whole ear, Arin. If you disconnect it, it'll self destruct and we'll both die."

"How do you know all this?"

Barry pondered for a minute. How _did_ he know all this? Obviously there are still parts of his memory that are missing. "I don't remember how I found out all this, but I think I talked to somebody."

"Then how can I trust that what you're telling me is real?"

"Because you have to. Even if what you think I'm saying is complete bullshit, you still need to listen to me."

"I don't know Barry. This is a pretty steep step." All of a sudden, there was a silence and all the two could hear was a faint beeping sound. Barry's eyes grew as he put his hand up to his ear. "You need to leave," he said suddenly.

"What?" Arin replied. "What is that?"

"They're here Arin. You need to get out of here."

"Who's here? I'm not leaving without you."

"Yes you are Arin. You're going without me."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are!" Arin's eyes stared in disbelief down the barrel of a revolver that Barry had pulled out at him. Arin stepped back a couple paces as his heart dropped to his stomach. There's no way that this could be happening. Was it a state of hysteria, or was Barry actually right about being on a hitlist? "I'm sorry Arin, but if you don't leave, I'll have to make you leave."

"Barry," Arin said in a choked voice.

"Arin you need to save Dan. I'm already good as dead. Please, just go before we're all dead." Arin could feel the intensifying burn in his throat as he walked up to Barry. He made the risky move of putting his hand on the barrel of the gun and pushing it towards the ground. He put his thick arms around Barry's short body and hugged him close. Barry too hugged back as he felt the hard outline of the gun on his back. The hug seemed to last an eternity. Arin wasn't ready to lose his friend again. The thought of having to leave him to die tore Arin up inside.

The moment was interrupted by a loud crash of the back door breaking open. There was an ear-shattering _crack_ as Barry shoved Arin away. He fell to the ground, but quickly got up and ran. As he looked back, all he saw was Barry collapse to the ground with blood escaping from the new wound in his diaphragm. Blood slowly dripped out of the corner of his mouth as he gave a small grin to Arin. Many tall black figures surrounded him, so many Arin could barely see his friend anymore. The many shadows picked him up and dragged him away, the back door shutting behind them. Arin ran out the side door and straight for his car. He reached in his pocket for his keys and immediately dug them into the dash once he opened the door. Putting it into reverse, he stomped the pedal to the floor and high-tailed it out into the street. With sharp screech, he sped down the road, doing about forty over the speed limit. He felt as if he was going into cardiac arrest because his heart was racing so fast.

It took a few moments, but Arin was finally able to release his god-like grip from the steering wheel to reach for his phone. Looking away from the road, he thumbed through his contacts looking for his spouse's name. There it is. He pushed the call button and waited for the dial tone. It rang and rang over and over until her voicemail kicked in. "Hey it's Suzy! Leave a message." Arin dreaded hearing the beep that followed. He tried leaving a message, but no words escaped from his mouth. He hung up and launched the phone to the other side of the car. He glanced down at the clock. 8:37 PM. 'Shit,' he thought to himself. 'Suzy's leaving work soon.' Maybe he can still make it. Hopefully she's staying late tonight. Arin sped down the road with fury and panic, barely missing a mailbox and a cat along the way. His goal was to grab Suzy and keep her from going home and seeing the disaster. This would turn out to be the first of many goals that Arin has to reach before time runs out. With no time to lose, he raced towards the Grump Space in hopes that Suzy was still there.


End file.
